Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

Our guest on this week's episode is Taivo Pungas, chief information officer at Pactum. Every company is wrestling with the need to incorporate artificial intelligence into their processes. But how do you balance those needs, the costs of the implementations, and the risks involved? Senior Editor Victoria Kickham  finds some answers as she welcomes this week’s guest. Our nation’s maritime ports have been humming the past few months as lots of products have been brought in for the holiday shopping season. But we saw a report this week showing that import volume at the nation’s major container ports is expected to taper off for the remainder of the year following an extended peak season that has kept docks busy since the spring. Volumes are also expected to drop in the first few months of 2027 compared to the same period in 2026. We look at what is behind these predictionsSome good news this week from the manufacturing industry helped boost the U.S. economic outlook. Despite cost pressures and other challenges we’ve been discussing on the podcast, manufacturing investment continues to grow. Specifically, manufacturers and machine shops booked more than $1 billion in new orders for metalworking machinery in September, setting a record for monthly investment. That kind of investment in new machines indicates new growth in the manufacturing sector.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:PactumNRF: Import cargo still strong at end of tariff-extended peak seasonMachine tool demand hits record highVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to [email protected] podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner

Our guest on this week's episode is Rupal Deshmukh, Kearney partner and global lead of the Kearney Supply Chain Institute (KCSI). The midterm election is over and the people have spoken, signaling what could be dramatic changes in Washington. How might supply chains be affected by possible policy changes? Our guest is the lead author of Kearney's Supply Chain Navigator report that addresses supply chain costs and she helps us navigate where costs may be heading after the historic election results.This week we had a sneak peek at what logistics might look like a few years in the future. This was from a convention that will happen a couple weeks from now in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. Under the Mobility and Logistics track, there’s research on using satellite imagery to predict climate-related disruption to global supply chains, helping organizations better anticipate risks to critical transport and logistics networks. And secondly, under the Autonomous Systems and Advanced Manufacturing track, there’s a presentation on a physical AI system called ORION that teaches workers to operate new industrial equipment. The monthly look at the health of the industry came out this week. The Logistics Managers’ Index reports that economic activity in logistics activity is heating up ahead of the holiday peak with continued expansion in October. The LMI reached a level of 70.7, that’s up from 70.2 in September to reach its second highest level in four years.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Kearney Supply Chain InstituteResearches use satellite imagery to predict climate-related supply chain disruptionsLogistics activity heats up ahead of the holiday peakVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to [email protected] podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner

Our guest on this week's episode is Rebecca Brewster, President & COO, American Transportation Research Institute. The trucking industry has recently faced several rocky years, from an ongoing freight recession to the huge surge in diesel prices resulting from the war against Iran. As we close this year, we look to an expert to offer a recap and a look at the future. Brewster speaks with Senior Editor Victoria Kickham about rising costs, workforce changes, liability, legal issues, driver training and recruitment, and more that affect the trucking industry.This coming Tuesday is Election Day. These midterm elections could change the makeup of Congress and ultimately how important government projects affecting supply chains are approved and funded. Senior News Editor Ben Ames reports on some recent infrastructure projects and how funding of such projects might be affected in the future depending on the makeup of the new Congress.Corporate commitment to sustainability has reached a record high, but oversight is lagging and external disruptions are keeping companies from delivering transformational results. This is according to the 2026 State of Supply Chain Sustainability report from MIT— specifically, from the school’s Sustainable Supply Chain Lab at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics (MIT CTL). Victoria Kickham shares details from this research on how the supply chain industry is addressing sustainability.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:American Transportation Research InstituteDOT awards $498 million for port improvement projects in 19 states3PLs could feel the impact of mid-term electionsMIT Report: corporate commitment to sustainability soars but roadblocks to execution remainVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to [email protected] podcast episode is sponsored by: Storage Solutions

Our guest on this week's episode is Vikram Sekhon, CEO and co-founder of Piston. Diesel fuel costs have nearly doubled this year, largely driven by the impacts of the war with Iran. Whenever costs get more expensive, people are tempted to lessen the pain by stealing fuel. It’s done in a number of ways, but mostly comes from fraudulent use of corporate fuel cards. Our guest runs his own fleet of trucks and also operates a fuel payment company. He discusses how widespread of a problem fuel fraud is and ways to prevent it. Freight transportation is one of the main contributors to greenhouse gases. Fortunately, it’s really not rocket science to solve this problem; there are effective solutions to reducing emissions, like using electric vehicles or alternative fuels.However, a survey we saw this week showed that the more difficult part of the puzzle is how to use those options and still make a profit. We share details on that survey and what it means for creating greener fleets.The move to reduce emissions not only occurs on our nation’s roads, it is also found on the high seas. A new report shows that more than 500 dual-fuel containerships and vehicle carriers are operating around the world, with the total investment in dual-fuel ships both delivered and on order surpassing $200 billion. That’s according to data from the World Shipping Council, released this week; it’s from the group’s Dual-Fuel Fleet Dashboard. We share more statistics and what is being done with reducing the emissions of maritime fleets.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:PistonRoad freight operators try to cut emissions but customers won’t pay.Dual fuel fleet tops 500Visit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to [email protected] podcast episode is sponsored by: ID Label

Our guest on this week's episode is Chrissy Sailstad, CEO, Durham Exchange Club Industries. October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This annual event was begun in 1945 by the U.S. Department of Labor to recognize the positive impacts that people with disabilities make in the American workforce. The theme this year is “Celebrating Value and Talent.” Senior Editor Victoria Kickham speaks with today’s guest to find out more about how workers with disabilities make a difference in our supply chains. We learn a lot from looking at the success of others. And one of the brightest and most successful companies when it comes to managing supply chains is also America’s largest retailer - Walmart. The company has just opened its fifth “next-generation fulfillment center” - a 900,000-square-foot facility in Stockton California that it said will expand the retailer’s ability to provide faster shipping and delivery to customers across California and the West Coast.There are many factors and forces out there that are helping to reshape supply chains heading into 2027—and many of them will come from outside the industry. This is according to a 2027 Freight Market Outlook Report from freight broker and logistics service provider C.H. Robinson. The report was released this week. It examines five areas shaping supply chains in the year ahead, and points to their collective potential to increase operating costs and alter global sourcing and procurement strategies.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Durham Exchange Club IndustriesWalmart opens its 5th Next-Generation fulfillment center External forces to reshape supply chains in 2027Visit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to [email protected] podcast episode is sponsored by: ID Label

Our guest on this week's episode is Sasko Cuklev, head of On-Road Solutions at Volvo Autonomous Solutions (V.A.S.). We know they are coming – it’s just a matter of time. We’re talking here about autonomous trucks. These driverless vehicles have already logged many thousands of miles on select highways around the country. But how soon before they come to a road near you – and what will be their impacts on the logistics industry? Senior News Editor Ben Ames asks those questions and more with today’s guest. Logistics activity accelerated in September, driven by tight warehousing and transportation capacity and marked by high costs that continue to pressure supply chains. That’s according to the latest Logistics Managers’ Index (LMI) report, which was released this week. The LMI score for September was 70.2; that’s up 3.6 points from August and is the index’s highest level in four years. We examine the latest LMI numbers and what they mean for the logistics industry.We got another piece of bad news last week with the September job report, which revealed that the country had created far fewer jobs than expected in September, just 29,000 new jobs and an unemployment rate that rose slightly to 4.2%. Those federal numbers come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But another report this week suggested that the picture might not be quite so gloomy, at least in the manufacturing sector.  The report from ADP said that measured by new job creation, “shiftwork” manufacturing employment grew modestly, but there is more behind the numbers.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Volvo Autonomous SolutionsLogistics activity accelerated in September Manufacturers turn to overtime before job creationVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to [email protected] podcast episode is sponsored by: ID Label

Our guest on this week's episode is Claire Li, vice president of Credit Strategy at Moody's Ratings. Critical minerals and rare earth minerals are needed in most electronics and tech devices, yet the United States does not produce many of these components domestically. China is the leading producer and its rare earth dominance threatens U.S. supply chains. How does the U.S. assure the mineral supplies that are needed to produce consumer products and critical defense systems? Our guest explains the vulnerabilities and offers possible solutions.Cargo theft is more sophisticated, and more frequent, than ever—and as a result, business leaders are getting more and more concerned about the security of goods moving through supply chains. This is according to a recent report from technology company SmartSense by Digi. The company surveyed 150 U.S.-based loss and organized retail crime (ORC) prevention leaders. 81% of those respondents said cargo theft has become more organized in recent years, and 79% said their organization is more concerned about cargo theft today than ever before.Fires in warehouses are not common, they do happen. Not only is there loss of products housed in the warehouse, but there can also be environmental damage from a fire, again, depending on the products and equipment systems housed there. But this brings up the question of who pays for the damage? Some new laws in California seek to determine who pays, but not everyone in the industry agrees.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Moody’s RatingsReport: Cargo theft intensifiesTrade group criticizes California law regulating cold chain warehousesVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to [email protected] podcast episode is sponsored by: ID Label

Our guest on this week's episode is Peter Larsen is a Vice President at Amazon, where he leads Amazon Supply Chain Services. Amazon may have started in 1994 as an online book seller, but today they are arguably the most successful of all online retailers. None of this would be possible if not for the extensive distribution and transportation networks that Amazon has built. And now they are opening those capabilities to others through a new entity known as Amazon Supply Chain Services. Larsen will also be a featured keynote speaker next month at CSCMP’s EDGE conference in Nashville. He recently spoke with DC Velocity’s Susan Lacefield about this new venture for Amazon.Nearly every device we use comes with a battery of some sort that provides portability to the device. But the supply chains for batteries are quite complicated. That is why DHL, the German parcel delivery and logistics provider, announced it was expanding its global battery logistics network. DHL said that a surge in battery demand is creating new supply chains that require specialized handling, regulatory expertise, and global coordination.The national nonprofit group Wreaths Across America (WAA) kicked off the 2026 wreath season this week with a call for carriers and professional truck drivers to join their annual convoy honoring veterans nationwide this December. Carriers and drivers are asked to join the Honor Fleet, as it’s known, to haul wreaths for placement on National Wreaths Across America Day, which is being held Saturday, December 19 this year.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Amazon Supply Chain ServicesDHL ramps up battery logistics networkNonprofit seeks carriers and drivers for 2026 Wreaths Across America DayVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to [email protected] podcast episode is sponsored by: ID Label

Our guest on this week's episode is Tommy Slaymaker, Director of Fleet Services at The Pete Store (one of the largest Peterbilt dealer groups in North America). Diesel fuel is the driving force behind our supply chains, powering everything from railroad locomotives to long-haul trucks. Prices have now risen to historic highs, due to the shortages brought on by the war with Iran. What impacts are these high prices having on supply chains and trucking in particular? Senior News Editor Ben Ames finds out as he speaks with today’s guest. Every business is grappling with artificial intelligence, how to use it and where can it improve business processes. Warehouses are no exceptions in this AI struggle. Senior Editor Victoria Kickham came across some new research that reveals new trends on how AI can potentially transform warehouse operations.The goal of all packaging used for parcel deliveries is to protect the products the packages contain while they make their ways to their final destinations. It is never an easy balance to get just enough strength without wasting too much material. But this week Ben Ames wrote about a new type of paper-based packaging that is making headlines in the packaging world - and it comes from the research and development labs of Amazon. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:The Pete StoreWarehouse digitalization hits inflection pointAmazon says switch from plastic to paper makes e-commerce more sustainableVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to [email protected] podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner

Our guest on this week's episode is Roberto Canevari, executive vice president, chief value chain officer at international beauty suppler Estée Lauder. Managing an international supply chain is not an easy job in this age of global disruptions. Our guest today does it every day in leading a global supply chain team of more than 10,000 people at Estee Lauder. That includes 44 factories worldwide and numerous distribution and transportation points. Canevari will be a featured keynote speaker next month at CSCMP’s EDGE conference in Nashville. He recently spoke with DC Velocity’s Diane Rand about how he manages this beautiful supply chain. It is the goal of every supply chain business to grow larger, otherwise they fall behind their competitors But what are the factors that actually help businesses to grow and expand their capacity? Senior News Editor Ben Ames shares two different stories this week about business growth.The United States recorded the hottest summer ever – at least since records have been kept. Senior Editor Victoria Kickham shares how companies can help workers deal with all of that heat on facility floors.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Estée LauderPitney Bowes expands as two rival firms shut downVecna Robotics raises $31 million as demand soars for U.S.-built robotsStudy: targeted airflow offsets heat strain on factory floorsVisit DC VelocityVisit Supply Chain XchangeSend feedback about this podcast to [email protected] podcast episode is sponsored by: Werner